This course is directed toward students interested in biological anthropology, primatology, tropical ecology, rainforest conservation, environmental sustainability, and field biology. Each day the professor will work intensively with you, presenting lectures and providing background information to help you develop a conceptual framework for understanding the diversity and complexity of tropical forest ecosystems. Lectures, training in field techniques (including use of global positioning systems, behavioral data collection, and ecological data collection), on-site examples of plant and animal interactions, and observations of primate behavior are designed to help you develop individual research projects. You will be required to write a research proposal to conduct a field project, collect field data to test a set of hypotheses on primate behavior and ecology, and write a final report.

In addition, you will learn about the culture, food, and history of Costa Rica, as well as have opportunities to meet and interact with local people who live in the communities adjacent to the field site.

Faculty Leader Bio
Prof. Paul Garber has studied the behavior, ecology, cognition, and conservation of nonhuman primates in Latin America and China. He is the Executive Editor of the American Journal of Primatology, and the the Director of Research and Education at two biological field stations, one in Costa Rica and one in Nicaragua.

This course is worth 4 credits. The course is already listed as Anthropology 445 (CRN 59445) - ONLY register for the course AFTER you have been accepted to the program. You must complete both the on-campus and off campus portion in order to receive credit. Costa Rica ANTH Syllabus - from 2011-12Costa Rica Itinerary.pdf

Application Requirements: Illinois undergraduates and Illinois graduatesLanguage of Instruction: English, knowledge of Spanish is helpful but not required.

*Program dates and fees are subject to change due to exchange rate fluctuations and the number of participants.

Housing: All students will be sleeping in cabins on bunk beds at La Suerte Biological Research Station. There are flush toilets and showers.

Meals: 3 meals a day, in the cafeteria at La Suerte Biological Research Station, Cost Rica. The site is a private research facility. Students have options for vegetarian meals, and will accommodate food allergies or specific dietary restrictions.

If the Study Abroad Office nominates or accepts you to the study abroad program you have applied for, the Study Abroad Office will bill your Illinois student account a non-refundable $305 advance fee. This fee will be deducted from the final cost of your program fees; however, please note that this fee is not refundable should you decide to withdraw from the study abroad program.

*Fees are subject to change due to exchange rate fluctuations and the number of participants.

Program Fee Includes: housing and meals, orientation programs, program excursions, and international health insurance

Program Fee Does NOT Include: round-trip airfare to San Jose (est. $830 with exit tax), personal expenses while abroad (est. $150), other meals (est. $40), hotel in San Jose (est. $50), and visa fees (if applicable). These are off budget costs that are estimated and will be expenses that come out of your own pocket.

2014-15 estimated TOTAL including off-budget expenses and program fee: $3,800 - $3,950
2015-16 estimated TOTAL including off-budget expenses and program fee: TBD

LAS Faculty-Led Course Abroad Scholarship:
All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences receive a LAS scholarship toward the program cost. There is no separate application process. If you are accepted to the program, you will submit a LAS scholarship questionnaire as part of your program application to receive the scholarship. Non-LAS students should contact their college about scholarship opportunities.

Other scholarships:
You should also apply for the Illinois for Illinois (I4I) Study Abroad Undergraduate Scholarship. For more information, click here. If you are a non-LAS student, be sure to contact your college about any possible scholarship opportunities.